Getting to Know Cleveland Monsters Assistant Coach Chris Bergeron
Photo Credit: Cleveland Monsters
For 25 years, Chris Bergeron spent his career molding the lives of college hockey players at Miami University and Bowling Green State University. Now, Bergeron is on a new path in life as a professional hockey coach for the Cleveland Monsters.
Earlier this season, I had a chance to sit down with Coach Bergeron to discuss his collegiate career, how going to school for teaching helped mold him as a coach, and how he got the job in Cleveland.
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Elaine Shircliff: What is your coaching origin story?
Chris Bergeron: A college teammate of mine called me in 1999 and said “Did you want to come be an assistant coach at Miami University?”. With that, came a year to kind of get my life in order. My wife and I had a child on the way. We had to sell the house. That’s what it was.
I’m the absolute example of, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
So, that’s what it was. A friend of mine called and the rest is history.
ES: Was coaching something you thought about doing when you were younger? Or did it catch you by surprise when you were asked to be an Assistant Coach at Miami University?
CB: I thought about being a coach. What I went through college for was to be a teacher. Obviously, there is some teaching in coaching and there’s some coaching in teaching. It almost seemed to fit.
From a hockey standpoint, it kept me closer to a game that I knew my whole life. To me, it was the next best thing to playing. I love playing.
Once I got the call and had 12 months to say yes and figure it out, then I really started to see myself as a coach. Did I think it was going to be 25 years? Probably not.
But, I’m proud of the last 25 years. I’ve really enjoyed it.
ES: What did you take from teaching and apply to coaching?
CB: The communication piece. I think sometimes in teaching you’re not necessarily dealing with motivated people all the time. But you have to communicate. I probably have always been a decent talker, at least in my opinion. I’ve been in positions where I’ve had to talk before. The communication piece is where I thought my training during my four years of college where I was doing hours in the classroom has helped.
You have to articulate, you have to talk about it, and that has a lot to do with coaching as well.
ES: You were at Miami. Then you were at BG. Then you were back at Miami. What was it like to coach against players you coached? One of which was Trent Vogelhuber.
CB: My first year at Bowling Green, it was a proud moment to watch the Miami team play. That team had gone to back-to-back Frozen Fours and that was after I had been there for 10 years. So, my first year at BG that Miami team came to Bowling Green. It was difficult. It was different than I've ever gone through before. But I was really proud.
I had some really strong relationships with not only the coaches but the players.
I remember it being a proud weekend. I do remember that.
And now, looking back and now that I am outside of the college game, I’ve basically got 15 years at Miami as a coach and my nine or 10 years at Bowling Green as a coach. There are a lot of relationships there that I am extremely proud of.
Those kids made an impact on me and hopefully I made just a little bit of an impact on them.
ES: How did you end up coaching for the Monsters? How did that come about? You got let go in March, there was this gap of time, and then all of a sudden you’re coaching in the pros.
CB: My who you know story continues. I actually took a scouting job with the Buffalo Sabres. The General Manager of the Buffalo Sabres (Kevyn Adams) is a Miami grad. I played one year with him. I was a Senior when Kevyn was a freshman.
He and I spent some time together in the spring. I was looking for a way to stay in the game, pick myself up a little bit. It was a difficult last three years in particular.
He offered me a scouting role with the Sabres and I took that role. I was involved over the summer a little bit. There’s not a whole lot to do. There’s the draft and then development camp. Then we get to the beginning of August and I’m starting to think about my plan for September and Trent called.
I thought Trent was calling to see if I had any names for him, because Mike Haviland had been promoted to Columbus. I knew there was an opening on their staff here. So, I thought he was calling to say “Do you know anybody”
But, he was calling to say “What do you think?”
I think my answer was “What do you think about what? Like what are you talking about? You’re talking about me?”
And then it happened pretty quickly.
I had a few conversations with Trent. Obviously, Columbus spoke to Buffalo just to make sure that was ok for us to speak. I had a couple of conversations with Chris Clark, one with Don Waddell, and a few with Vogey. Mark Letestu a little bit. Ben Eaves a little bit.
Again, it was an example of who I knew.
I’ve always had a good relationship with Trent. I’ve known him since he was 16 or 17 years old. I’ve known his mom and dad for a long time. So, when the call came, it was an interesting call. I’ve said this and I mean it in a good way, I wish I wasn’t looking for a job this summer. No one wants to lose their job, but to land here in this role, with these people, in an organization, in a team like this, I’m very, very fortunate.
I’m not sure I deserve it but I’m very fortunate and thankful that I’m here.
ES: How has the transition been? It sounds like a lot of people have bought into you right off the bat.
CB: I think that’s the whole transition piece. When you’re at the college level, you get to know these people. There’s trust. Relationships develop. That’s what I’m trying to do here as well. Not just in the coaches’ room but with the players as well.
They’ve welcomed me with open arms. I probably have Trent to thank for that.
The hockey world is small. I knew Ben Eaves before. I knew Mike Monti a little bit before. So, there were side relationships I had outside of the one I have with Trent. And I think it’s all helped me transition.
Sometimes I still feel like I’m trying to fit in, trying to fill the shoes Mike left. Not to be him. I know he was a huge part of the staff the couple years he was here. I want to pick up and help just like he did. The people involved are what make it so good.
They’ve welcomed me with open arms and I’m very appreciative of that.
ES: What has been the hardest part of the transition from college to pros?
CB:It’s building the relationships from scratch. That’s been difficult for me. I’m a guy that wants my coaching based on trust. They don’t always agree but I want them to trust and know that I’m coming from a good place.
And I want the people I work with to trust me.
I know all of that is earned. I have to earn that trust.
That’s the most difficult because you’re starting over.
I think it’s been good. You’d have to ask the players and the coaches. My whole being as a coach is based on trust and relationships and the people part of it. That’s been the most difficult because you’re starting to build those from the beginning.
I sat in the subordinate chair for 10 years. Getting back to that after 14 years has it been difficult? It’s different. I wouldn’t say difficult. Again, the people I work with make it very easy.
I really think it’s starting the relationship piece over again that’s been the most difficult and we’re working through that.
ES: Now what is it that you bring to the team with you? What from your toolbox do you bring to this group of coaches?
CB: I think I bring experience.
When you look at that coach's room, it’s a younger group. It’s the 2024 version of coaches. They speak the language. The boys respond. I’m an old-school guy that’s trying to become a new school.
I just bring a different perspective.
The thing that people forget is my team at Miami last year might be right around the age of this year’s team. We have a couple more veteran guys, but we are teaching the same age group of people. It used to be 18 to 22, maybe now it’s 19 or 20 to 27 or 28.
It’s still trying to get the best version out of people. I hope I'm bringing that.
